Christmas Chaos
by Misaki Sayuri
Summary: Christmas is near, and Ichigo's friends plan on giving each other secret presents. They get company later on from Hueco Mundo and Soul Society, and they meet up with old friends... This fanfic is written after the Bleach Movies: Memories of Nobody and Fade to Black. You might reconize some of the characters later on.
1. The holiday planning

**Just thought I'd write something for Christmas. Hope you all like it! A bit of IchiRuki, very mild, but still...**

* * *

**_-Chapter 1-_**

Christmas was coming by fast and Ichigo didn't know what to give to his friends. As he strolled down the shops, glancing at the gifts that were on display, a lightbulb lit up in his head. He would have to piece all his friends' favourite hobbies or their personalities to find out what they wanted. Hmm...starting with Uryuu Ishida.

What would Ishida want? That one was a toughie. Ishida and Ichigo weren't considered "close" friends, even though they've helped each other defeat Hollows, Arrancars, even Espadas. What would a Quincy want? Ichigo pondered on that thought for quite a while. Hm...he could ask Ishida's dad..., but wouldn't that be stalker-ish? Ichigo Kurosaki was NOT a stalker at all. Perhaps he could give it a try...

* * *

**Ichigo's POV**

I kicked pebbles to the side as I walked down to Ishida's apartment. Chance that his father was there was 1%. It was still worth it, I guess. There it was, 23 Yerash St. Hm...now what was his flat again? Please don't tell me I forgot...again. 24,25,26...Aha! He lived on the 14th floor. As I approached the building, I made two attempts to open the door. On normal bases, I would have kicked down the door, but this was residental, not like my house.

I pressed the intercom and waited for what seemed like an hour until Ryuuken's voice was heard.

"Who the hell is this?!" he shouted in the intercom.

"Kurosaki Ichigo," I replied.

"Hn. You a friend of Uryuu?"

"Uh...yeah. Sort of. Can I come in?"

"Uryuu's not here at the moment. I sent him to train his Quincy powers in the field. Working him till he collapses in pain!"

"...It's about that, Mr. Ishida." I figured if I had to get what I wanted, I should address him properly.

"Why all the formality, Kurosaki? Need something from me?" Uh-oh. Suspicion.

"...Yeah, actually. You see, I wanna give your son something for Christmas, but I don't know what Quincies in general want, so I'm asking you," I breathed my sentence in a rush.

"Hm...Okay. Fine, I'll help you. Better give him something so he'll stop nagging me for a new sewing kit. Yes, Kurosaki, Uryuu would want a sewing kit. Such a girl. To answer your previous question, Quincies don't really have anything they especially want. We ARE human after all. Anything else you'd want from me?"

"Uh..no, Mr. Ishida. That's all. Thanks!" I said as I pressed the intercom again. Okay, so Ishida wants a sewing kit. One problem solved. Now, next question is _where _to get it. The Dollar store? Hm...worth a shot.

* * *

I must've walked like about three blocks just to get to the nearest Dollar store. I was too lazy to take a taxi or a bus. That's me.

DING-DONGGG! What the he-? Woah. Boxes of merchandise were everywhere. Now, for those who may have went to "Dollarama", zip it. The only store I've ever went to was Urahara's Shop.

I passed by aisles, not finding what I wanted. Finally, at the last aisle, I found a sewing kit. Perfect! I waited in line and the cahier just looked at me weirdly.

"Boy, you fond of sewing and knitting?" she asked with one eyebrow raised.

"No. It's for a friend of mine", I retorted.

"Girlfriend?"

"No. Don't have time for relationships, ma'am," I reddened.

"Here you go. 10 yen please."

I paid for the kit and took off before anyone else could make fun of me. I didn't notice someone was watching me close by.

* * *

**Ishida's POV**

Haha. Look at Kurosaki run! It made me want to laugh my ass off! I wanted to chase him and demand him why he was running as if there were two Hollows behind him. Kurosaki, always making a fool out of himself. Hey, wait! What's that package under his arm? I'd better take a closer look! Agh! He left already.

Hey, it's almost Christmas. Should I get that idiot Kurosaki something? Nah, he's probably not getting me anything, so why bother? But then again, I'm planning on giving all my close friends gifts - even Orihime. What would Kurosaki want? He's obsessed with the number 15 and strawberries...

An idea popped up in my head. I'm good at sewing...maybe I'll just sew something for him. Lemme find my old sewing kit. I nearly bent all the neddles, used up most of the threads and lost the thumbtack. Yeah, I seriously needed a another one. Ryuuken wasn't gonna give me one.

As for Sado...probably give a card that poppes up and sings. Orihime... I don't know yet. Rukia...some Chappy product. I didn't bother buying gifts for my classmates, too much work.

I hiked up the Dollar store, and bought: a white T-shirt, a hot pink dress with pink satin and laces, different colours of buttons, a red and green construction paper, velvet cloths, and a pair of Chappy earrings. I was going to fix up the dress and the T-shirt. What a nice friend I was.

I headed over to the apartment and found my father lying on the couch. A vein popped in my head. I knew how to take care of myself and this was MY place! After leaving me for geez, how many years? And now he comes back and just shows up?! The Last Quincy? That's me!

"Ryuuken. Just...get out. I can't tolerate you", I maintained my cool, barely.

"I can't stand you either, Uryuu. Don't you think it's disrepectful to call your own father by his name?" Ryuuken responded.

"Then why are you here?" I seethed.

"Oh my, it's almost Christmas. Is it such a crime to spend Christmas with my own son who claims to be the Last Quincy?" my father smirked at me, knowing that he'd won. I left and went to my room.

* * *

**Inoue's POV**

"Uhm...Christmas is coming soon...Tatsuki-chan, what should I give Kurosaki-kun?" I asked my best friend, Tatsuki.

"I don't know. Give him something homemade from you. I think he'll appreciate it more", she replied.

I absolutely adore cooking, maybe I could give him some of my homemade cookies. Last time I gave him some of my pasteries, he said it tasted good. Was he lying? He looked like he really liked it...

"Orihime? Maybe you should lay off the idea of giving him some of your pasteries. You know he can't stand them", Tatsuki-chan quietly said.

"...Maybe, Tatsuki-chan. I'll go ask him."

"NO! It'll make it too obvious! Give him a card or something."

"Ok, fine. And some homemade sweets", I declared. We were walking home from school. "Ah, Tatsuki-chan, I might not be able to go over to your place. I'm running low on cooking supplies. Plus, I need materials to make Kurosaki-kun a Christmas card."

"Is it okay if I come with you Orihime? That lez, Chizuru could be lurking somewhere here", Tatsuki-chan asked. I nodded and we headed to the nearest supermarket and Dollar store.

I brought money with me, so I wasn't totally broke. In the end, I went home with five grocery bags filled with red bean paste, buns, chicken, potatoes, etc. and a bag with a card, some glitter and glue. I waved farewell to my best friend and I went to my apartment feeling as excited as ever.

* * *

Ugh, screw the Internet! I've spent the last five hours searching up neat designs for my card to Kurosaki-kun. Finally, I found the one I liked and I got right to work. I hadn't even noticed the time. It was 8:30 pm, and I was starving. Good thing I'm a good cook! In 15 minutes, my dinner was prepared. I thought if I should call Kurosaki-kun and Kuchiki-san over to eat. Nah, I'll probably disturb them.

I ate in silence, but not before I prayed to my brother. After washing the dishes, I returned to my room and completed the card. It looked very pretty, let's hope Kurosaki-kun would like it.

I skipped to my kitchen and starting mixing ingredients. I was going to make mochi and dango and see which one was better to goive to Kurosaki-kun. Surprisingly, they both came out good, not too shabby at least. I set up to make two more of each all for my friends.

After I acheived my goal, I happily went to bed. Of course, when you're happy, you tend to get careless, right? That was the situation for me. My windows were especially made by Urahara-san, butcause of the accident Kurosaki-kun had when my dead brother, Sora, became a Hollow and attacked him. The windows were a Hollow barrier that only worked when they were locked. It was designed to reflect all different types of Hollows, including low-class Menos and Arrancars. However, I'd forgotten to lock my windows, and during the night, I felt some evil reiatsu that belonged to an Arrancar.

* * *

**A/N: This fanfic was only written for fun. It's supposed to be happy, but I just decided to add a bit of horror at the end. If you feel creeped out, please don't read this story before you go to bed. Anyways, please review! XD Whether this fanfic is good or not, I want your feedback! **

**As always, if anyone doesn't get the story, feel free to PM me. Don't be scared, I'm not going to bite. :)**


	2. The New Arrival

**Like I said, there will be a bit of IchiRuki in this chapter though it is very, very mild... Anyways, enjoy!**

* * *

_**-Chapter 2-**_

**Orihime's POV**

I awoke to the annoying sound of my alarm clock. Uhhh...I turned over and read the clock groggily. Wait! 8? Hold on! I'm going to be late! In the speed of light, I got dressed, combed my hair and placed the hairclips Sora-san gave me. I went tumbling over the kitchen chair so I hastely made toast and pancakes. After breakfast, I made no delay and zoomed to my bathroom to brush my teeth. Using some hair product I found, abandoned in my cabinet, I quickly sprayed my hair and straighten it wit my comb. There! Did I look presentable to Kurosaki-kun? Yes.

The door knocked, and I already knew who it was without looking through the peephole. It was Tatsuki-chan, waiting impatiently for me. I grabbed by schoolbag and headed to school with my best friend.

After class, Kurosaki-kun seemed down. I went to comfort him, and asked him what was wrong.

"Nothing, Inoue. I don't want to get you involved," Kurosaki-kun responded.

"Please tell me, Kurosaki-kun," I said.

"I...I don't know where Rukia is. She was at my house, but this morning, she was gone. Where is she? Have you seen her, Inoue?"

Oh boy, not Kuchiki-san again. She was my friend, but I was just jealous of her. Kurosaki-kun always wears a smile when she's around, but when she's not, he's all moppy and his shoulders sagged.

"I'll help you look for her!" I said with a smile.

"Really Inoue? Thanks," Kurosaki-kun said.

We started looking for her in the mall. We tried looking in the Chappy section, but Kuchiki-san wasn't there. We met up with Ishida-kun and Sado-kun. We started looking for Kuchiki-san together.

It was dusk and we gave our best regards to Kurosaki-kun. He headed home alone. I wanted to comfort him, but I just didn't want to seem like a stalker to him.

* * *

**Ichigo's POV**

I kicked the pebbles off the the side of the road, wondering where Rukia was. She was right there yesterday, even hitting me with her drawing book when I called her drawings like shit. I woke up, checked up on her, the closet was empty. Were was she?

I opened the front door to my house, and immediately, my idiot of a father came at me with a kick. Of course, with my Shinigami powers and all, I easily dodged it, sending him flying outside.

"My son! Curfew started at 7! You came late! Son, do you know what time you came back? 7:05, 5 minutes late! I don't tolerate this!" my dad yelled in my face.

"...I'll be in my room." I went up the stairs and shut the door behind me when I arrived to my room.

"SURPRISE, U BAKA!" a shrill voice greeted me. What the hell? I was greeted with a...midget.

"Midget? What-? You weren't at school today! Where were you? Inoue, Chad, Ishida and I were looking for you! Rukia? What are you doing in my room?" I literally jumped two feet in the air.

"Oh? Kurosaki Ichigo missed me? The ever so famous Substitute Shinigami, Ichigo, missed me?" That midget was rolling on the floor laughing her ass off. She stopped when she saw her death in my eyes.

"I went shopping today, so I skipped school," Rukia responded as she picked herself off the ground. "To plan what to get Nii-sama for Christmas. No, I wasn't planning to get you anything, baka."

"I wasn't gonna give you anything either, midget," I retorted. Actually, I _was _planning to take her somewhere, but I guess there would be a change of plans.

"DINNER'S READY, ONII-CHAN!" Yuzu called from downstairs. I glanced at Rukia, but she was already gone. Oi, that midget. I went scrambling down the stairs to have dinner. I was really hungry.

After dinner, I retreated back to my room with Rukia trailing behind me. When I sat down on my bed and started questioning Rukia's motives today, her cellphone went off.

"Hollows! Two of them. One is an Arrancar. Do you need help?" Rukia asked me.

"Rukia, I've handled two high ranked Espadas, why would I need help?" I demanded.

"I don't care. I'm coming with you, fool," Rukia insisted. I used Kon and off we went to kill Hollows.

When we arrived to the scene, we were both shocked. Standing in front of us were: Pesche, Dondochakka, and...Nel in adult form.

"Hey Ichigo!" Nel jumped down, flew at me, and gave me a bone-crushing hug. "...Kuchiki, isn't it?" She addressed Rukia.

"Just Rukia would be fine, Nel," Rukia gave her a heart-warming smile.

"Hellooooo Ichigo and Rukiaa!" Pesche and Dondochakka cried. Where was their 'pet', Bawabawa?

"Ichigo, Bawabawa can't come to the real world, because he needs sand to survive," Neliel said, reading my mind.

"So, why are you guys here?" I asked.

"We just decided to drop by since Aizen's defeated, the Soul King is back, and the Espadas accepted me in their group. Can you guess what number I am?" Nel winked at me. A soft breeze fluttered her shirt, revealing the number 4.

"...Oh right, I killed Ulquiorra. What about Grimmjow and Nnoitra?" I wondered out loud.

"Grimmjow's recovering, and Nnoritra...well, he's healing up too."

"Are most of the Espadas alive?"

"Yes."

"Will you cause trouble?"

"No, I swear it on my own Hollow life."

"Good." I sighed in relief. "Do you have Christmas in Hueco Mundo as well?"

"...What's 'Christmas', Ichigo?"

"Well it is-"

"Christmas is a time when you give someone a present to show your appreciation. It's also the birth of Christ," Rukia butted in. Whoops, I forgot that midget was still here.

"Can I spend Christmas with you guys? There's not an awful lot to do in Las Noches nowadays. There's no fighting and Starrk won't do anything," Nel asked with pleading eyes.

"Sure, but I don't know where to keep you three," I showed my concern.

"Dondochakka and I can crash by Uryuu's place, while Nel could stay at your place, sound good?" Pesche said.

I glanced at Rukia, and to my dismay, she actually agreed to that idea.

"Nel, where are you going to sleep? Where are you going when I'm at school?" I asked.

"First, Hollows don't sleep. Second, I will transfer to your school," Neliel cheerfully replied. What a bother now.

* * *

_Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! _I turned off my alarm.

"Heya Ichigo! 'Morning!" a chirp voice alarmed me. That voice...Nel? Oh right, I remembered that incident last night.

"...Nel?"

"No duh."

"Where's Rukia?"

"Downstairs already."

"Oh. Get out, I gotta get dressed."

"Okay, fine. Meet you downstairs. Yuzu's a sweet girl, she's making pancakes. They taste amazing, so hurry up."

"I will, if you just leave, Nel."

"...See ya."

In 15 minutes, I was eating my breakfast. Yuzu's pancakes were good, like Nel said. Rukia and I got ready for school. Nel showed me her Gigai, and I was pleased that she thought about how she was going to be seen. After school, I gotta ask Urahara how a Gigai would be possible for a Hollow.

I showed Neliel how to act like a high schooler, and what the uniform was. Obviously, since she decided to visit me, she didn't have a uniform. Let's hope Sensei won't tell to her to stay after school and ask why.

Today, with Nel going to school for the first time, I dreaded for her safety and I think Rukia did too. Who knows how an Espada would act in school?

* * *

**I know the ending is a tad lame, but I was rushing a bit. Whether this chapter is lame or not, I'd like to have your feedback, so please review! :D**


	3. More Surprise Visitors!

**Chapter 3! What will happen? I ****_will _****finish this fanfic before Christmas! Enjoy!**

* * *

_**-Chapter 3-**_

**Ichigo's POV**

"Good Morning, Kurosaki-kun!" Inoue's happy voice called me.

"Yo," I said.

"Nel-chan? Is that really you? Wait, why are you here? Where are Dondochakka and Pesche?" Inoue babbled on. "Are you in a faux body? Wait, can Urahara-san make those for Hollows?"

"Orihime! No, this is a special type of faux body that Urahara prepared for me. I notified my arrival before time," Nel said.

"So, why are you here?" Inoue asked.

"I wanted to drop by and say hello to you all. Ichigo here told me there's something called "Christmas". I wanted to spent it with you guys!Dondochakka and Pesche can't come because they have Hollow masks covering their whole faces, and the people will ask them why. So, to avoid all the possible questions, I came here alone," Nel answered.

"Nel, that doesn't answer Inoue's question really. _You're _a Hollow too, and you have part of a mask as well," I pointed out.

"So? I can say it's part of a fashion outfit, whereas my Fraccion cannot," Nel replied.

"Yo, Kurosaki! Is that Nel?" Ishida came behind me. I jumped so high out of fright.

"Y-yeah. Nel, remember the Quincy?" I asked hastely.

"Oh. Ishida, right?" Nel happily asked.

He nodded. "Neliel, why are you here? Aren't you a Hollow? Can people see you?"

"Because I wanna spend "Christmas" with you all, yes I am, and yes people can see me," Nel answered, obviously annoyed.

_Riiinnnnngggg!_

The school bell rang. Great, let's see what Sensei will say.

* * *

"Everyone, this is Neliel Tu Oderschvank. She's a transfer, so be kind to her. She has a new hairstyle from where she came from. May we call you Nel?" Sensei introduced Nel to the class. "Nel, there's an empty seat beside Kurosaki-san to the left. You can go sit there for now, until we get the seating arranged."

Nel dipped her head and made her way next to me. Great, I'm stuck between a midget, and an Espada. What a nice mix.

"Kurosaki-san, would you or Kuchiki-san show Nel-san where the textbooks and notebooks are?" Sensei called. Rukia nudged me indicating "_You go, I've only been here for a certain amount of time. _Che, I'm not humiliating myself.

"Rukia, I think you know where the textbooks and notebooks are. I showed you when you came, remember? Why not you go show Neliel?" I hid a smirk. Rukia made a face at me.

So, to sum it all up for you, the rest of the day was simply, "Go show Nel-san where the lined paper are; Kurosaki-san, nel-san would like to know where the nurse is. She injured herself.; Kurosaki-san, go show Nel where the bathroom is." and typical things like that.

* * *

"Ichhiiiigooooo!" Keigo came shouting my name as he ran to me. BAM! He recoiled with a bloody nose. "Ichigo, why did you have to do that?" Tears were streaming down his face.

"Quit being annoying, Keigo," I said over my shoulder as I walked with Rukia and Nel home.

"Popular with the ladies, eh, Ichigo? Where did you find all these girls?" Mizuiro asked me. Geez, I wonder I why I'm friends with a player.

"They're just friends, Mizuiro," I said, quite annoyed. I waved my hand to show I was leaving. Geez, was this the consequence of being friends with girls?

"Hey Rukia, did you see Chad or Ishida?" I asked.

"No."

"Hey Kurosaki, were you planning to ditch us?" a voice behind spoke. Inoue, Chad and Ishida were standing behind me.

"Um...hey. Sorry, about that. After when I drop off these troublesome girls at my house, I'll chill with you guys," I totally forgot the four of us made plans to go Christmas shopping. Rukia wanted to stay with Nel. "See you later."

I pratically ran towards my house and dumped my burden on th couch. After lecturing them about what the fire alarm was for (in case Nel decided to make some toast and burned up the house), when the TV was available (Which was all the time), and not to go in my room (especially Rukia), I dashed out the door to meet up with my friends.

"Hello, Kurosaki-kun!" Inoue greeted me. I sensed another being with my friends. i saw a figure with bright red hair, in jeans and a hoodie, wih a pair of goggles on his forehead, and with sunglasses on.

"RENJI?" I exclaimed. "Wh-what- okay, never mind, you're probably here to check up on Rukia, right?"

"Not really. I got a break from Captain Kuchiki to come to the Real World. I heard you guys are going Christmas shopping. I'm going with you, since I don't know where Rukia is right now," that red-headed human wannabe.

"..." Chad was speechless.

And off we went to the Times Square mall (if Japan even has one). We passed by the shop where I bought Senna her red ribbon. Ah, the good times. We walked passed the centre of the mall, where Senna performed a stun act and received a lot of attention. We walked by the station where Rukia and I first met her while fighting Blanks.

"Ichigo? Is that really you?" a high-pitched voice behind me asked incredulously. I turned around, hoping for the worst. I was shocked.

"...Senna? Aren't you the Memory Rosary? Why are you here?" I was in awe.

"Ha ha. Yeah, I still am. I controlled the Blanks and...let's just say I came back. I was actually here by mistake. My real destination was Soul Society, because a friend of mine passed away and I was planning to visit her," Senna talked fast.

"Senna, right? If you go to Soul Society, the chance that your friend reconzies you is very slim. Most souls forget their life when they were alive. Your friend probably found her way to Rukongai and is currently living there. Most likely, she won't know who you are," Renji cleared up the situation.

"Then I won't be able to see her, Red-headed Pineapple Shinigami?" Senna asked.

"No, and please don't call me a "red-headed pineapple shinigami". That is impolite. Does this (he indicated to his hair) look like a pineapple to you?" Renji tried to maintain his cool, but was slowly failing.

We shopped around with Renji cursing every now and then because Senna was ticking him off. Of course, we didn't exactly tell which item we bought was for who. It was...kinda secret. Like "Secret Santa" or whatever you people call these days. When we finished shopping, Senna declared that she wanted to stay with us for Christmas as well. Renji thought the same as well. Shit, since when did these people wanted to party with us? Last year, Renji didn't even mail us or send us any presents from Soul Society. Neither did Senna, or Nel. What happened?

"Alright, Renji. Who bribed you?" I taunted. Renji gave me a quizzal look. Okay then. Second attempt. "Senna, who bribed _you_?"

"Ichigo, what are you talking about?" she asked me.

"Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about! Last year and the year before that, you guys never visited us, nor sent us presents. Did someone send you? Renji, did Byakuya dispatch you here to annoy me? Senna, did you come here on your own free will?" I interrogated them.

"Kurosaki, just leave it. It's 8:00 pm, let's just figure out who is going with who. We'll deal with the quarrelling tomorrow, agreed, Sado?" Ishida piped up. Oops, I forgot momentarily that my friends were still here.

"Uh...Inoue, could Senna stay with you? I have no space in my house," I asked Inoue.

"Okay, sure, Kurosaki-kun. Hey, Senna, don't worry, you'll like my place a lot once we get there!" Inoue reassured Senna cheerfully.

"No, Renji, you're not coming home with me," Ishida gave Renji a cold shoulder.

"I'll take him," Chad offered. As we splitted up in different directions towards our own homes, I kept thinking what to get Rukia. I already got her a Chappy merchandise, but I don't think that would be enough to satisfy a girl like her. Maybe something more...I didn't know. Rukia was one hard girl to satisfy. An idea popped up in my head and I wondered if that midget would appreciate my little gift to her. I wandered through the empty streets and made my way back the the Kurosaki Clinic. Was Rukia there right now? Was Nel sitting with my family chatting with them? I didn't know.

But one thing was clear, more and more people were coming for Christmas, and I seriously don't have enough room for everyone.

* * *

**So, please review this chapter. Sorry, I haven't been updating for a while. My assignments were due before Christmas break, so that was my priority. I had to go out and buy Christmas gifts to my friends, so that took up some time. Well, chapter 3 is finally out. I hoped you all liked it. **


	4. Rukia's Surprise Gift

**It's Christmas Eve! Did you get presents from Santa? Joking. Okay, here's the final chapter of Christmas Chaos. Hope you all like it!**

* * *

_**-Chapter 4-**_

**Rukia's POV**

"ICHHIIIGOOOOO!"

Ugh, can't a girl get her sleep? What an idiot Ichigo's father was. BAM! I guessed that was Isshin flying out of the window. No surprise there, I guess. I quietly changed in the closet and hopped out to find Ichigo...without a shirt.

"... Rukia?" Ichigo greeted me.

"...Hurry up and change. I don't want to see you without a shirt on," I retorted.

"Okay. Bye, get out first," that orange-haired idiot smirked.

"Love to," I slammed the door as I went downstairs.

"Morning Rukia! We have pancakes with syrup for breakfast! Go wake up Ichigo," Nel greeted me.

"Hey Nel. Ichigo's up already. He's changing," I said. Neliel nudged me. What?

"I know you want to go to Ichigo's room now, while he's changing," that Espada gave me a playful shove. My face was red. I started pushing away the image, the thought, because it was just gross.

"No, I don't. I'm hungry," I marched downstairs. Isshin, Karin, and Yuzu looked at me and each said "Good Morning" to me. I felt like I was some sort of celebrity. A few minutes, I heard Ichigo coming down the stairs.

"Morning Yuzu, Karin," he said.

"Your guard's down!" Isshin's foot came flying at Ichigo's face. WHAM! Isshin crawled backwards with a bloody nose. After breakfast, Ichigo and I went back upstairs.

Today was the beginning of Christmas Break, heck Karakura High School's holidays were so late! It was Christmas Eve, and I still had to get that orange-haired guy something. I began scratching my head in thought. Before I could think anymore, my cellphone beeped. Hollow!

"Ichigo!" I shouted. Instantly he transformed, this time using Kon. I did too, using Chappy. "This way! I can feel its reiatsu!"

We jumped and shunpo-ed to the scene. We were greeted by a loud Hollow cry.

"Go get it, Ichigo!" I shoved the Shinigami Proxy beside me. Instantly, the Hollow was gone. I patted Ichigo on the back. He turned around and gave me a look that said _I can handle a little Hollow like that, you don't have to worry about me! _What? He almost got killed by a tiny Hollow like that once. Well, that happened after he lost his Spritual Pressure from defeating Aizen.

We returned to the Kurosaki Clinic and decided to wrap the presents, of course, at different times and places in the house. We agreed to call everyone to the house around 6 to chat, chill, give presents, and have dinner. I called Renji in the closet as Ichigo finished wrapping the last present.

"Hey, Renji? Wanna come over to the Kurosaki Clinic at 6 tonight? We're having a little Christmas party. Spread the word to those who want to come," I whispered.

Ichigo reached for his own cellphone and dialed Orihime's number. "Hey Inoue, listen, there's gonna be a Christmas party at my place tonight at 6. Tell everyone," he told her.

I smiled in the closet. I replayed the events that occurred recently in my head. Aizen's defeat, the Xcution's true nature, Ichigo's new Fullbring, my new seat as Lieutenant of Squad 13, and the Gotei 13. I sighed contentedly and thought back to when I first met Ichigo, and started the flashback from there. Ichigo's new Shikai, his newfound Bankai, the time when he saved me from my execution, his Hollowfication, his life-death battles with some of the powerful Espadas, the time when the zanpakuto had a strike because of Muramasa, when Ichigo saved Orihime from Hueco Mundo, the meeting of Nozomi Kujo, Ichigo's Mugetsu power, the secret of the Shinigami Badge, when we met Senna (Memories of Nobody), and my favourite part - when Ichigo risked his life to save me while I was merged with my old friends from Rukongai along with the Hollow that they contained (Fade to Black). Ever since I met Ichigo, he's changed, gotten stronger. I guessed I wanted a friend like that.

* * *

6 p.m came quickly and our guests arrived shortly. Renji, Orihime, Sado, Ishida, Yoruichi, Kisuke, Nii-sama, Neliel, Dondochakka, Pesche, Ulquiorra (surprised), Grimmjow (Had his injures healed up?), Shinji, Mashiro, Ikkaku, Yumichika, Yachiru, Hiyori, Senna, Toshiro, Rangiku, Soi Fon, and Gin (he resurrected from the dead).

At first, I was very surprised because I saw so many familiar faces, but I collected myself. Gin was alive, you could see Rangiku's face light up like a lightbulb. They were very close friends, and losing each other would be like losing your heart. It's the same with Ichigo and I. We shared a deep bond, ever since that day I gave him my Shinigami powers.

We sat around the Christmas tree that took Ichigo and I two hours to put up.

"So, you're back, huh," Renji asked Gin.

"Yes, all thanks to a particular someone," he responded. Rangiku sat closer to him.

"So many familiar faces here. Don't worry, we bought you presents ahead of time. So don't sweat. Wanna trade gifts now, or after dinner?"Ichigo asked everyone.

"Dinner, I'm hungry," Shinji's stomach growled to prove it. An eyebrow was raised.

"Dinnerrr! I'm starving too!" Mashiro squealed. Nobody vetoed the idea of having dinner first. Yuzu came and cooked us dinner. We sat around, sharing stories and our lives so far.

After one hour of eating and talking, we exchanged gifts. I got Chappy products from most of my friends except for Ichigo. He didn't give me anything. What a meanie. From Ishida, I got a pretty light blue dress with laces at the end. Truth to be told, I loved it. It was perfect size as well! Toshiro gave me a Chappy keychain. It was so adorable. Orihime gave me some of her cooking. I was in no position to comment. I gave Orihime a dress, Ishida a T-shirt, Sado a parakeet keychain, Nel a new outfit, Senna a blue hair ribbon along with earrings, and Ichigo a picture of the gang at the beach and a T-shirt with a cool design of 15.

"Hey midget," Ichigo came up to me and sat beside me.

"What?"

"Look, I didn't forget to give you a present. So don't be mad at me. Come on, we're going to the fashion store."

I just stared in awe at the guy in front of me. He pulled me to my feet and grabbed his jacket.

"Hey everyone! We'll be outside, so if you need anything, just ask Yuzu!" he winked to Renji for whatever reason as he called out the door as I hastily put on my jacket.

"Come on!" he pulled me to the sidewalk and we began our walk.

"So, why so nice to me all of a sudden?" I asked.

"Nothing much. I just noticed I haven't appreciated you at all, and I wanted to repay you back for all the times you had my back," Ichigo placed his hands behind his head. I got a creepy feeling.

"Tell me, are you on drugs?" I searched through his pockets. Nothing at all. I turned back to him.

"Rukia, are you okay?" he asked me. I nodded.

In no time at all, we arrived at the most popular fashion outlet.

"Normally I would ditch you and take off, but since it's Christmas...Ladies first," Ichigo smirked at me. Whatever.

I was awed by the sparkles and the glitter that shone inside. Woah... I dashed to an aisle with Ichigo chasing after me.

"Choose any, and I'll buy it for you," he informed me briefly. I figured I'd just limit it to two clothings.

I chose a beautiful aqua satin dress that had ridges at the end and a gorgeous lavender, purple cocktail dress. Those two combined costed about $50. I thought I just made Ichigo broke. It turned out he had $20 left. Phew...

We made our way back home, but I was in for another surprise. Renji came out, took the shopping bags and gave us two bags that contained something odd-looking. Then, he waved us goodbye. What was Renji doing?

Ichigo led me to a skating rink. Scratch that. _The _skating rink. The first I've ever been to. He gave me one of the bags. Inside was a pair of skates. I forgot how to skate. My mind was clogged with fighting moves. Dammit, I knew I was gonna make a fool out of myself. After putting on the skates, we headed out to the rink.

"Rukia, don't worry. I'll guide you, the same you did to me years ago," Ichigo smiled at me. The skating felt...good. Actually, it was relaxing. I haven't had that much fun in years, because it was all work work work. Maybe Ichigo wasn't such a scary person once you get to meet him. I wasn't ready for what was to come.

Ichigo twirled me around.

I swear, inside, I was screaming. Delight or not, I was still screaming inside. Ichigo looked at my face and I swear, he was trying hard not to laugh. That baka. I was going to deal with him later, but reconsidered after he spun me around again. Oh god, I felt dizzy.

The skating session was over, and we packed up.

"Did you like it, Rukia?" Ichigo asked me sincerely.

"It was...good. It felt nice, for a change. Thanks Ichigo. I really needed to loosen up," I replied back just as sincere. On our way back to the Clinic, we held hands.

"Welcome back, love birds!" Renji opened the door. Everyone looked at us expectantly, and I blushed. There were comments later, but I had no heart to retort back. I was much too exhausted to even talk.

* * *

Everyone left, so it was just Ichigo and I at the Kurosaki Clinic. Nel went back to Hueco Mundo after with her Fraccion, and Senna returned to her world. The Shinigamis went back to Soul Society, and Ichigo's friends went their separate ways home.

"Oi, midget. Did you like your present from me?" Ichigo quietly asked me.

"...Yes, Ichigo. I loved it, and thank you," I responded with a smile on my face. "What did YOU get?"

"Ah, well...Nel gave me hair gel, Ishida gave me a cool T-shirt with his unique design of IRUOS (Ichigo, Rukia, Uryuu, Orihime, and Sado), Orihime gave me cookies and a hug, Chad gave me a simple, but meaningful Shinigami badge pin. It holds no power, though. You gave me a photo of us last year when we were at the beach and another T-shirt with a design of 15," Ichigo replied.

Woah.

"What did you receive, Rukia?"

"If I told you, we would be here till morning," I grinned.

"Okay. Whatever, as long as you like my gift. That's all that matters. Merry Christmas, Rukia," Ichigo gave me one of his rare smiles. Woot, I hit jackpot. _Two _of his smiles a day, I must be very special.

"Yeah, I do like it. It was very thoughtful of you, Ichigo. Merry Christmas to you too, Strawberry," the sides of my mouth twitched into a smile.

That was the best Christmas I've ever had. Maybe next time, I'll invite Ichigo over to Soul Society. That would be all in the future. All that mattered was the present. The future would have to wait.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Hey everyone! Special edition chapter! I did keep my promise. The story is now finished before Christmas like I promised it would be. So, how's the ending for you? Review your opinions. They are open to me. How did you like the IchiRuki within? Sorry if the characters may be OOC. I tried to make Ichigo in the story like he is in the anime and manga. **

**Special thanks to my peers and my friends, especially zeldalover272 and my best friend, Alisha. They really helped me shape this story to what it is right now. So, I thank them a lot. **

_**Merry Christmas everyone!**_

**~ Shiro Shiryuu **


End file.
